Roller skate having retractable wheels adapted to configure as shoe

ABSTRACT

A wheel assembly of skate includes a wheel mounted in a casing, the wheel having an axle, two side sliding plates each including a groove adapted to mount around an open end of the axle, two springs, two links each inserted through the casing into a slot of the sliding plate, and a fastener for securing the link to one inner sliding plate. Unfastening the inner links, pulling the sliding plates to disengage with the axles with the wheels being automatically popped out of the casing by the expansion of the springs, and fastening the inner links will securely transform the skate into a roller skate. Unfastening the inner links, pressing the wheels into the casing with the springs being compressed, pushing the sliding plates to mount the grooves thereof around the axles, and fastening the inner links will securely transform the skate into a shoe.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

(a) Technical Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to roller skate and more particularly to such a roller skate having two pairs of retractable wheels which are adapted to either extend out of the wheel casing to configure the skate as a roller skate or retract to be flush with a bottom of the wheel casing for configuring the skate as a shoe.

(b) Description of the Prior Art

One of four wheel assemblies of a conventional roller skate is shown in FIGS. 1 to 4. The wheel assembly comprises a wheel 1, an axle 3 with the wheel 1 rotatably mounted therearound, a pair of upper rods 14, a pair of lower rods 13, a lock bar 81 having one portion connected to the axle 3, two upper and two lower springs 12 each biased between the upper rod 14 or the lower rod 13 and a wheel casing, a plate 51 put on the upper and lower rods 14 and 13, and two nuts 9 each threadedly driven into a front end of the upper rod 14 or the lower rod 13 to fasten the plate 51.

However, the prior art suffered from a disadvantage. In detail, the wheels 1 can be retracted to be flush with a bottom of the wheel casing for configuring the skate as a shoe. Unfortunately, the lock bars 81 may inadvertently collide with, for example, a raised portion of the ground or a stair to pop out the wheels 1 (i.e., the skate changes into a roller skate). Thus, the need for improvement still exits.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary purpose of the present invention is to provide a skate four wheel assemblies each comprising a casing; a wheel mounted in the casing; an axle with the wheel rotatably mounted therearound; a plurality of ball bearings rotatably mounted between the axle and a hub of the wheel; two sliding plates each abutted against either side of the casing and including a slot and a groove mounted around an open end of the axle to a retracted position of the skate; two supports each mounted internally of the sliding plate; two springs each put on the support; two lock links each inserted through the casing into the slot of the sliding plate; and a fastener for securing the link to one inner sliding plate, whereby unfastening the inner lock links, pulling the sliding plates to disengage with the axles with the wheels being automatically popped out of the casing by the expansion of the springs, and fastening the inner lock links will securely transform the skate into a roller skate; and unfastening the inner lock links, pressing the wheels into the casing with the springs being compressed, pushing the sliding plates to mount the grooves thereof around the axles, and fastening the inner lock links will securely transform the skate into a shoe.

In one aspect of the present invention the wheel comprises an inner layer formed of hard plastic and an outer layer formed of wear resistant plastic.

The foregoing object and summary provide only a brief introduction to the present invention. To fully appreciate these and other objects of the present invention as well as the invention itself, all of which will become apparent to those skilled in the art, the following detailed description of the invention and the claims should be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Throughout the specification and drawings identical reference numerals refer to identical or similar parts.

Many other advantages and features of the present invention will become manifest to those versed in the art upon making reference to the detailed description and the accompanying sheets of drawings in which a preferred structural embodiment incorporating the principles of the present invention is shown by way of illustrative example.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the wheel assembly of a conventional roller skate;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line A-A of FIG. 1 where the wheel is extended when the skate is configured as a roller skate;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line A-A of FIG. 1 where the wheel is retracted when the skate is configured as a shoe;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line B-B of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the wheel assembly of a preferred embodiment of roller skate according to the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along line A-A of FIG. 5 where the wheel is extended when the skate is configured as a roller skate;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along line B-B of FIG. 5; and

FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken along line A-A of FIG. 5 where the wheel is retracted when the skate is configured as a shoe.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The following descriptions are of exemplary embodiments only, and are not intended to limit the scope, applicability or configuration of the invention in any way. Rather, the following description provides a convenient illustration for implementing exemplary embodiments of the invention. Various changes to the described embodiments may be made in the function and arrangement of the elements described without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

Referring to FIGS. 5 to 8, one of four wheel assemblies of a roller skate in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown. The wheel assembly comprises a wheel mount 11, a casing 10 mounted below the wheel mount 11, a wheel 1 adapted to either extend out of the casing 10 to configure the skate as a roller skate (see FIG. 6) or retract to be flush with a bottom of the casing 10 for configuring the skate as a shoe (see FIG. 8) as detailed later, an axle 3 with the wheel 1 rotatably mounted therearound, a plurality of ball bearings 2 rotatably mounted between the axle 3 and a hub of the wheel 1 for reducing friction, two sliding plates 5 each having a slot (not numbered) and a groove (not numbered) mounted around an open end of the axle 3 in the retracted position of the skate, two cylindrical supports 6 each mounted internally of the sliding plate 5, two springs 7 each put on the support 6, two lock links 8 each inserted through the casing 10 into the slot of the sliding plate 5, and a fastener 9 secured the link 8 to one inner sliding plate 5.

For configuring the skate as a roller skate, a user may first unfasten the inner links 8 (see FIG. 8). Next, pull the sliding plates 5 to disengage with the axles 3 (see FIG. 7). Next, the wheels 1 automatically pop out of the casing 10 due to the expansion of the energized springs 7. Finally, fasten the inner links 8 again to maintain the skate as the roller skate (see FIG. 6).

To the contrary for configuring the skate as a shoe, the user may first unfasten the inner links 8 (see FIG. 6). Next, press the wheels 1 into the casing 10 with the springs 7 being compressed. Next, push the sliding plates 5 to mount around the axles 3 (see FIG. 7). Finally, fasten the inner links 8 again to maintain the skate as the shoe (see FIG. 8).

Preferably, the wheels 1 are formed by injection molding. Still preferably, the wheels 1 are comprised of an inner layer formed of hard plastic and an outer layer formed of wear resistant plastic (e.g., nylon).

The present invention has been shown and described in detail, various modifications and improvements thereof will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the spirit and scope of the present invention is to be construed broadly and limited only by the appended claims and not by the foregoing specification.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together may also find a useful application in other types of methods differing from the type described above.

While certain novel features of this invention have been shown and described and are pointed out in the annexed claim, it is not intended to be limited to the details above, since it will be understood that various omissions, modification, substitutions and changes in the forms and details of the device illustrated and in its operation can be made by those skilled in the art without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention. 

1. A skate four wheel assemblies each comprising: a casing; a wheel mounted in the casing; an axle with the wheel rotatably mounted therearound; a plurality of ball bearings rotatably mounted between the axle and a hub of the wheel; two sliding plates each abutted against either side of the casing and including a slot and a groove mounted around an open end of the axle in a retracted position of the skate; two supports each mounted internally of the sliding plate; two springs each put on the support; two lock links each inserted through the casing into the slot of the sliding plate; and a fastener for securing the link to one inner sliding plate, whereby: unfastening the inner lock links, pulling the sliding plates to disengage with the axles with the wheels being automatically popped out of the casing by the expansion of the springs, and fastening the inner lock links will securely transform the skate into a roller skate; and unfastening the inner lock links, pressing the wheels into the casing with the springs being compressed, pushing the sliding plates to mount the grooves thereof around the axles, and fastening the inner lock links will securely transform the skate into a shoe.
 2. The skate of claim 1, wherein the wheel comprises an inner layer formed of hard plastic and an outer layer of wear resistant plastic. 